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[threeolives]

[ Filtered to all City Solutions employees: ]

This is a notice to inform you of some minor redecoration that will be taking place at City Solutions today. Rest assured that no labs or offices will be changed without their owners' permission; all changes will be focused on public areas such as the lobby, break rooms, and cafeteria. Anyone interested in participating or giving input is welcome, so feel free to contact me via the network.

Thank you for your cooperation.
Pepper Potts, CEO

 

[ ooc: Pepper is taking advantage of the curse today to make some changes around the office. Unfortunately, she doesn't realize that all her hard work will have been for naught once midnight rolls around. All City Solutions employees or frequenters of the premises are welcome to run into her as she's working-- she'd love to meet any and all employees she hasn't met yet! ]

Comments

[debrief]

Time for a cup of coffee in between all the redecorating?

[threeolives]

[ Pepper is shocked and drops both the device and the can of paint she had hovering in front of her. Thank god this is a text instead of video. She calls up a rag to clean the spilled paint, and tries to gather her emotions and stop her hands from shaking long enough to type a response. ]

For you, Phil, of course.

[debrief]

[ Oh, Pepper. ]

Shall I come by in ten?

[threeolives]

Wonderful. I'll be in my office. Top floor.

[debrief]

[ And there he is, ten minutes later, dressed as usual in an immaculate suit (Dolce) and knocking at the door. ]

[threeolives]

[ She should have warned him to wear something he wouldn't mind getting paint on, just in case. She herself is dressed down, hair tied back loosely with some strands falling into her face.

This time she's somewhat prepared and sets down her materials carefully before motioning for him to come in. Once he does, she hesitates, just taking in the sight of him, whole and alive and just Phil. She didn't think she'd ever get to see him again. Then she's across the room in a moment and pulling him into a hug that is just past the line of a friendly greeting. ]

It's so good to see you.

[debrief]

[ It's okay, he's quite good at avoiding getting his suit dirty. He has plenty of practise.

Smiling, a little sheepishly perhaps. And then she's hugging him and he hugs back, gently. Can't have been easy, knowing he's dead. ] Hello, Pepper.

[threeolives]

[ Well something wet is falling on his shoulder. It's not paint, though. ]

Hello, Phil.

[debrief]

[ Hugging her a little closer.

It's okay. It really is.

Gently: ] How are you?

[threeolives]

I'm [ sniffle. pulling self together. ] I'm alright. How are you, though? [ Both how are you doing and how are you alive? ]

[debrief]

I'm fine. [ Physically. Mentally, too, for that matter, but it's the physically that matters most for the time being. ] I got here and between advance technology and magic, they fixed me up.

[threeolives]

[ Pepper wilts into a smile. ]

Thank god— I never thought I'd ever actually say this— but thank god for the City. [ She rubs his shoulder fondly, the touch suddenly reminding her exactly where they're standing. ]

Oh! Come on, let's get out of this mess and get that coffee.

[debrief]

[ He's glad that touch doesn't hurt at all, another sign of how well-healed he really is, mostly thanks to the magic.

Ironic, to be stabbed by a magic spear and then healed by it in turn. ]

That sounds good. [ Holding his arm out to her. ]

[threeolives]

[ She leads him to the elevator, which will take them down to the café. Thankfully that is one area which she'd already finished redecorating so it's looking much cleaner than her office. ]

So, I assume you came here after... [ she tries to think of how to say "after you got stabbed" and instead just mimes it awkwardly. ] How long has it been, for you?

[debrief]

I did, yes. [ A beat. ] It's been a month.

[warmachine]

What kind of redecorating?

[threeolives]

Painting, flooring, new furniture and accents. No huge reconstruction.

[warmachine]

So you're gonna go wild?

[threeolives]

[ She laughs. Oh, Rhodey, you know her so well. ]

Not as wild as Tony's method of "redecorating," but yes. :)

[warmachine]

[ well. it's been years, hasn't it? ]

Glad to hear it. Have fun and call if you need help?

[threeolives]

Will do!

video;

[awildhulkling]

[ Pepper Potts.

Oh boy, is he having a fanboy moment or what. Pay no attention to the excited grin on Teddy's face, Pepper, he's not a lunatic or anything. ]

Are you Stark Industries' Pepper Potts?

[threeolives]

[ Don't worry, she's not scared of him or anything, she just raises an eyebrow. ]

I am. Is it safe to assume you're from some alternate universe to mine? [ She's new to the concept but is taking it in stride. ]

[awildhulkling]

I think so, I'm an Avenger like Mr. Stark.

[ A teeny tiny one, okay? ] It's nice to finally meet you, Ms. Potts. [ /FANBOYS ]

[threeolives]

Ah. I heard that in some other universes there were more Avengers than just the six I know.

It's nice to meet you too, ... [ This would be where you introduce yourself, young man. Think you can put your fanboying on hold for thirty seconds? ]

[awildhulkling]

Teddy, sorry. Or uhm, Hulkling, but you can call me Teddy instead.

[ He's excited, this place is super cool. ]

[threeolives]

Hulkling? Are you somehow related to Hulk?

I'm not a big fan of using codenames in everyday conversation, though, so I think I'll stick with Teddy. And you can call me Pepper, none of that Ms. Potts stuff.

[awildhulkling]

No, not really. I just kind of Hulk out like he does. [ Sometimes explaining the fanboy way is hard. ]

Okay, Pepper then. [ He sounds pleased, he is. ]

[threeolives]

Well try not to do it around City Solutions, alright? I'm only just redecorating and don't want a ...Hulkling running around ruining it. [ That's okay, no matter what the explanation, her understanding of "Hulk" in Avengers context is still pretty limited to the concepts of large, angry, green, and the word "SMASH" ]

[awildhulkling]

[ He smiles, slight and almost bashful. ] I promise. I mean, I'm pretty in control and I don't really get the angry green mist of rage.

[threeolives]

Really? You ought to give Dr. Banner some lessons then.

[awildhulkling]

I don't think it'd work. His does work on rage, I'm just able to shift.

[threeolives]

Interesting. So it's not related to radiation? The only similarity being the ..symptoms, rather than the cause, as it were.

[awildhulkling]

Sort've. I just. I look like he does when I'm in my - [ Natural? Normal? ] Other form. And the name Hulkling stuck.

action in the lobby?

[candothat]

[A passerby--a slight kid with his attention focused on what doesn't look unlike a touchpad computer--pauses in the lobby, apparently baffled by the changes Pepper is currently making.]

Was there something wrong with that wall?

[It's not said snidely; he's just curious. He has quite the accent, too. Vas zhere somezhink vrong vith zhat vall indeed.]

action in the lobby!

[threeolives]

[ The question pulls Pepper out of the sculpture she was hanging piece by piece. She turns to see the speaker and her first thought is "Wow, he's young. When did we start hiring minors? Does the City have labor laws about that I should be aware of?"

Then her second thought is "God, Pepper, stop being rude, the boy asked you a question." and she puts on a friendly smile. ]

No, nothing wrong with it. But that doesn't mean it couldn't use some improvement, aesthetically.

action in the lobby!

[candothat]

[Age doesn't matter when hiring geniuses from the space-future. Pepper has no need to worry.

The kid studies the wall with a good deal of seriousness.]

I did read, once, that workers are most efficient in an aesthetically pleasant environment.

[threeolives]

[ She smiles. Someone who gets it! ]

Exactly. It increases both productivity and job satisfaction.

[ She hangs the final piece before turning fully to greet him, dusting off her hands on instinct even though she wasn't actually touching any of the materials. ]

I don't believe we've met. I'm Pepper Potts.

[candothat]

And that would explain why there is very little productivity or job satisfaction in many places, although I cannot complain.

Good to meet you, Miss Potts. I am Pavel Andreievich Chekov, formerly under Ariadne's supervision and currently collaborating with Delacroix.

[threeolives]

So you are an employee. It's hard for me to tell, popping in and out of the City like I have been. I certainly hope that if you ever do have any concerns about job satisfaction you know you can always come to me.

Just wondering, what is it you and Delacroix are collaborating on? Like I said, I'm woefully unaware of the goings on of my own company.

[candothat]

[Oh. Oh. He becomes considerably more formal once Pepper identifies herself as the boss.]

Yes, ma'am, and I like this job very much.

Delacroix and I are working on numerous projects--in our spare time, not here, so much--but we currently are attempting to recreate faster-than-light technology that we had in our home worlds.

[alwaysangered]

Pepper. I'm Bruce Banner. I'd like to met. I can bring you coffee while you decorate.

[threeolives]

Great! Tony's told me all about you (back home) I'm in the third floor lounge if you want to stop by.